Almost no stroke loss – new position sensor for hydraulic cylinders

Mobile machine designers are often faced with the following dilemma: accommodating quite a large functionality in the smallest possible installation space. Some mobile machines and utility vehicles must comply as well with unambiguous regulations regarding the width or height of the vehicle. The difficulty of this task becomes particularly evident when additional functions are to be integrated into an existing machine design. For example, when retrofitting a position sensor in hydraulic cylinders. SIKO has developed the new SGH10L position sensor for hydraulic and telescopic cylinders in order to give designers and developers maximum flexibility in designing their cylinders.

Almost no stroke loss thanks to lateral mounting

The new SGH10L position sensor has been specially developed for use in applications where almost no stroke loss is acceptable when integrating the sensor into the cylinder. This is made possible by the unique lateral mounting of the SGH10L sensor on the hydraulic cylinder in a specially developed housing rather than, as usual, in the cylinder base. The system is fixed to the cylinder by a hydraulic screw connection. The cable is guided into the cylinder and then redirected towards the piston head. There the cable is screwed in – all done. Thanks to this unique design, only the installation space for the sensor ear is required in the cylinder. As it is only a few millimeters in size, this results in a particularly compact installation shape unlike any other. Sensors with this design open up a new dimension of structural possibilities, increasing flexibility in the design of hydraulic cylinders with integrated position measurement. The sensor can, for example, also be used in hydraulic cylinders with extremely small diameters, e.g. 20mm and smaller, or integrated in cylinders with mechanical end-position cushioning.

The familiar advantages of the SGH series – there have been, to date, three sensor variants with measuring lengths up to 5 meters – are of course also integrated in this sensor. Hollow drilling of the piston is thus likewise no longer necessary for the SGH10L. The sensor also offers the familiar high flexibility for both the cylinder manufacturer and the user. There are many available interfaces, such as analog current or voltage outputs, CANopen or SAE J1939. The intuitive teach-in function means that the sensor, which is available in two versions (500mm and 1000mm measuring range), can be easily and conveniently taught in to the exact measuring range. This significantly minimizes the number of variants, which in turn reduces overall costs. Like all SGH sensors, it of course can also be used in telescopic cylinders. A genuine master of flexibility.

The SGH10L sensor comes by its flexible and sturdy basic design honestly. The sensor was developed as part of the SIKO PURE.MOBILE sensor kit. This means that the sensor was designed from scratch with a 100% focus on mobile hydraulics, and accordingly exclusively for mobile machines. Every sensor equipped with PURE.MOBILE technology meets the EMC requirements for construction, agricultural and forestry machines, the requirements according to E1 (UN ECE R10), and is based on a magnetic, wear-free and sturdy sensing technology. All these features predestine the SGH10L for demanding mobile hydraulics applications where space is at a premium.

Profile

• Integrable position sensors for hydraulic cylinders
• Measuring range 0 … 1000 mm (39.37 inches)
• Almost no stroke loss thanks to lateral installation
• Absolute measuring system
• CANopen, SAE J1939, analog interfaces: current and voltage
• Pressure-resistant up to 350 bar, pressure spikes up to 450 bar
• Wide temperature range up to 105°C
• Equipped with PURE.MOBILE technology